


The howl of a fox

by zacco_platypus



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Blood, Japanese Mythology & Folklore, Kitsune, M/M, Strangers to Lovers, i just had no better title idea, i just love their dynammic, i know foxes dont howl, i took some liberties with the myth, kitsune inarizaki, or smth like that, this is my longest oneshot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-02
Updated: 2020-05-02
Packaged: 2021-03-01 19:08:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,263
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23872114
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/zacco_platypus/pseuds/zacco_platypus
Summary: Atsumu has always wanted to explore the human world, and now the appearance of an interesting mortal has given him the final push
Relationships: Miya Atsumu/Nishinoya Yuu
Kudos: 25





	The howl of a fox

“I want to go and explore the outside world once my next tail grows” said Atsumu one time, on the top of one of the gates with his twin brother, stargazing. As if they haven’t seen it countless times already. But even if they did, they found the night sky fascinating. Even if it was the same season, none of two night skies were the same. The colour of the sky, the quantity of the clouds, and the climate was always different, which made the mood of each night slightly different too. Just as how they have never seen the same two sides of each other, or the forest itself. 

“Good luck with that” Osamu snorted, his left ear slightly twitching, as he pulled his legs up beside him. Slightly hugging them to himself to give him some warmth from the chilly night breeze. 

"What, aren’t you even curious?" the one with the golden fur laughed as he punched his brother in the arm, which he returned. 

"Okay, what do you want to do?" he looked at him, clearly not the slightest interested in his reasonings. But, as his brother, and as the person who had to take care of him, because he himself wasn’t able to do so, he felt the need to ask him about his plans. What if he will act on one of them one day? 

"To go on a one night trip! Like Aran. From dawn to dawn" came the overly enthusiastic reply, which probably only made sense to himself. 

"What's so good about the outside world anyways? We have everything here" Osamu finally took his eyes off the sky, to look at his brother, in trying to understand him. His grey eyes glanced over all the so well known features of the other, which he saw not only on him, but when he looked into the mirror, too. 

“But we have no idea what’s out there! What we’re missing!” the small stars and shines he saw in the other’s eyes were no play of lighting, and he knew very well what this meant. 

“And would you be happier if you knew what you can never get? We’re bound here to the shrine, if you remember. Leaving means you break the bound that keeps you here” a pair of pretty, grey eyes got rolled at this, accompanied with a sigh, looking back at the brightly shining moon, giving his eyes a similar, but much more lifeless shine as his brother. “We can’t just leave.”

“Well, at least I would get to experience it. You know, how the visiting people spend their short lives, knowing it goes away in an instant…” Atsumu started, but his brother cut into his words rudely, not taking the talking person into regards. 

“I don’t think they know how short their lives are, you know. They’re just humans. Boring, mortal little humans. You’re overthinking them” Osamu stood up, stretching his back. It’s been hours they were talking here for, and not moving very much in that time made his back ache. 

“How would you know” Atsumu crossed his arms with a pout. As if anyone here aside from Kita and Aran knew how people were. And that’s why he wanted to go and see for himself. And because those two would never share the knowledge with him. 

“Whoever gets back to the shrine the last gets to wash the clothes this week” the taller twin smirked back at his brother, jumping off the gate, only to revert back into his fox form, so far accompanied with only four tails. His brother, knowing the game full well, went after him, doing the same. 

This race of theirs went just like any other one. Playfully running around the gates leading up to the shrine, chasing each other around in the woods, playing invisible hide and seek. Sometimes they jumped up to the sky, letting the moon’s light shine on their silver and golden furs, laughing at the sight and the feeling of the slightly cold night wind brush over their fur, and the feeling of being lighter than they are because of it. Upon landing, their weird game continued. They sometimes rushed over some of their friends, or crossed paths with them, who just looked at the duo confusedly. Some of them joined in for a bit, only to get left behind. 

After a while, they heard the huge bell clanging, indicating that humans were under the gates, starting their way up to the shrine. The sound of dozens of transformations, then individual howl-like fox sounds were audible, followed by one group howl before all of the foxes in the shrine has made their way back to the entrance of it. Sitting down gracefully, waiting for the human offerings. 

Which could sound very uneasy for first visitors. A bunch of some weird high pitched sounds, then the loud sounds of running before everything goes quiet. Not even the night birds, or cicadas made a sound anymore. Only the forest danced in the wind. And as the visitors' vision cleared from the gates, all they could see was like a dozen of foxes, looking down at them with judging eyes. 

Atsumu always made sure to take a good look at the humans. These were the only times he could get close to them, after all. They were more than usual this time. Only during a bigger wish did five people come. 

As he looked over at them, he noticed how different they all were. Though there were two bald people, their auras were completely different. While one radiated pure and raw aggression and provocation, the other seemed calm inside and outside. A shorter one, who, despite his height hid behind the smallest, seemed the most nervous. Maybe even scared? As he should, in the presence of such creatures, Atsumu though, trying hard not to form a smug smile on his face. The fourth guy seemed their leader. Or the one they all listen to. He was calm and collected, yet had this aura around him, that made him similar to Kita in the golden fox's eyes. 

And then, there was the last, the smallest person. It was his first visit, as Atsumu has never seen him here so far, but unlike the one hiding behind him, he didn't seem the least intimidated or bothered. No, his eyes seemed more excited and curious than anything. The whole person seemed like the embodiment of a storm, locked away in a jar, probably by the scolding words of their leader. Licking his lips, Atsumu's thoughts were imagining what it would be like to let that storm go on a ruckus, uncontrolled by anything. Or… controlled by only him. 

As the leader stepped ahead, the fox got pulled out of his thoughts, watching the brown haired tell his wish as he bowed, and holding the offering above his head. Considering the fairness of the trade, Kita looked at what the other foxes thought of it. They didn't ask for anything not in their power, so the nine tailed fox stepped closer to take the offerings, and brought it inside the shrine where accepted sacrifices went. The five of them bowed, and turned back to leave. 

The tension of theirs seemed to have died down as they all chatted, and the small bomb of energy couldn't stop jumping around. Sometimes on the stairs, sometimes on people. It was a unique, new sight. It gave the fox a reason to explore the world outside the shrine. The very reason he so far lacked. Now he just had to wait, and hope that small storm of a person won’t leave the village any time soon. 

In the following days which slowly, painfully slowly turned into weeks, the golden furred fox spirit couldn’t keep his thoughts away from the small mortal human, much to his brother’s annoyance. Even if he didn’t say all his thoughts out loud, his brother could read everything off his face. That’s the curse of an equally immortal brother. Not that Osamu would really care how Atsumu spent his free time as long as he could take care of his daily tasks. At this point, he wouldn’t even mind his usual slack offs or harmless lies about not eating the last serving of rice literally off his brother’s plate. 

Actually, he started to miss it, as much as he didn’t want to admit any of it. But his brother was way less social and talkative since that weird shrine visit, and since it happened this long ago, it really started to set him off. But at the same time, he started to wonder, and see himself in his brother. Did the others see him as this odd, unapproachable being? 

A few more days passing by, and the twins woke up to an immense amount of pain in their lower halves. They knew this pain all too well. At least knew what it was the indicator of. Because a hundred years is too long to remember such a temporary thing in their lives as a day long period of unstoppable, unkillable pain. All they could do was to stay put, and survive it. The villagers nearby ran back to their homes, and locked themselves in, hearing the twin’s screams. One of them, the smallest wanted to go up there, and please the god somehow, as he thought they did something wrong, and this wouldn't stop until they’re pleased. But getting up the mountain, he had to face rejection. And also the promise that this inhuman screaming will end at dawn. 

And right he was. By the time the sun set, the two foxes throats couldn’t handle all this screaming, and gave up. But their tails also did finish growing out of their bare skin. The whole night, they were laying beside each other, looking at the other panting in their own blood mixing with their and each other’s sweat, waiting for the pain to fully die down. 

“We did it, ‘Samu” the golden furred took the hand of his brother with a tired smile. But he could have smiled all day; the moment the whole of the pain disappeared, he was fast asleep, not even saying good night to his brother. “Rude” Atsumu snorted, and letting his hand go, he stood up. 

“Nothing personal, but you have to understand it. I will not sit here to rot away, not knowing anything” he announced, which could have been understood as an apology, or even him spilling the beans about his master plan of world dominations. But Miya Atsumu was no villain. He was just a curious fox with too much power and time on his hands. 

Taking his fox form for better speed, he started his way to the village by the feet of the mountain, to search for that bottled up storm. However strange this might have sounded, he wanted to spend the mortal’s whole short life examining him. As he passed by the familiar sights of his childhood, and whole life leading up to that point, nostalgie hit him. And.. guilt? He just shook his head at the possibility. 

At sunrise, he reached the small village. It was much more different from what he expected a village to look like. Everyone to have their own house… it was a luxury Atsumu never thought he could even see. He almost forgot to shape into a human form, not to get caught. 

Walking around in the village took only a short while. It consisted of one main road, and the houses on both sides. Maybe like ten, or fifteen families can be living here. Are they this loyal to the shrine to not migrate somewhere with more resources or better facilities? Atsumu couldn’t wrap his head around the idea of being fine with not exploring the world. 

Before anything else though, he got taken off his legs by a small, unknown force. And then another. The two of them landed on the fox, on the ground. As he looked up, he saw the already familiar deep brown irises stare down at him curiously, as if wondering where has he seen his, and a so far unknown pair of sweet and warm almond eyes, paired with blindingly orange hair. 

“Do I know you? Are you new here? Lost maybe? We can ask the god up the hill where to go from here” the smaller jumped up from him, pulling his friend up, too. 

“No, anywhere but there. I came here to explore this village, actually” Atsumu stood up, too, looking over at the two. They seemed even smaller than at first. But while the orange haired really seemed like a child, the other one had a kind of mature feel to him. 

“Then I should take you to Daichi, who knows everything in here! Come” the small storm took the fox’s hand, and sending the other to go eat without him, he started to lead Atsumu to what seemed like the main house? He didn’t know the name, but it sure was bigger than the rest. 

The introduction went well. Better than Atsumu would have expected. No one suspected a thing. Well, why would have they? But that wasn’t the only thing that surprised the fox. One was how easily everyone has taken him into the community. Even after a week he felt like a part of the villagers. The other was the lack of other foxes. More specifically the ones from the shrine. It almost unsettled him more than anything. Not once was he caught staring at the mountain with a face, deep into his own thoughts, almost as if he wasn’t even part of the mortal world, and dreaming back to the place he was truly from. But everyone was quick to shake that thought out of their heads. 

As a month went by, Atsumu got closer to Nishinoya, the person he saw up by he shrine back there. But during that time, even he started suspecting something. He was neither stupid, nor blind after all. First, the weird gestures. Sometimes Noya could have sworn, he saw his ear twitching. First, he let it slide. He must have been tired. But by the umpteenth time, he knew it wasn’t just a play of the lights. Sometimes, he also thought he was seeing a fox as Atsumu’s shadow when they were walking together. The other didn't seem like he knew about it, or particularly cared. 

One day though, all of the truth got to be revealed. The two of them were on their usual morning walk. Nishinoya decided to forget all that Chikara has told him about Atsumu, how he should confront him once and for all. He didn’t do anything bad, so why would he? Yes, he was a horrible person and his personality could use some work, but why couldn’t he do it then? Someone had to, after all. 

“Yuu-kun” Atsumu called to him as the smaller stopped randomly on the road. “Is everything alright?” 

“Hm? What?” he looked up at that, being pulled out of his thoughts. As he looked around to find the owner of the voice, only to find him a few meters ahead. “I’m coming” he laughed as he ran up to the fox, and continued the ramble about whatever came to his mind. And without asking, Atsumu joined as well. 

But then the topic shifted to dogs. Looks like the whole jar of dog-hatred has given to Atsumu, in the place of his brother too, because simply their mention was enough for him to unwillingly shift back into being a five tailed, golden furred fox with weird, red markings on the face, and flee into the forest. 

For an entire day, Nishinoya had to look for him. Well, he didn’t have to. But he still did, without telling anyone about it. Chikara was right about him being a fox spirit, but now all Noya wanted to know was why he took a form of a human, and go there among them to deceive them. Was he really just that bored? 

The sun has already set by the time Noya has found a lone fox in the middle of a small lawn in the middle of the dense forest. He was with his head lowered, and all his five tails on the ground, lying lifelessly. Even his ears were hanging. As if he didn’t even want to use his sensitive hearing to hear whoever was coming. Or maybe he wasn’t expecting anyone to come after him? 

Whichever the case might have been, Nishinoya risked to take a step closer, out into the lawn, where even the grass was neatly cut, and not so wild and uncared for as in the forest. The cut was clear as soon as one stepped out of the shadows of the trees. As the bottled up storm of a person took the step, he has stepped onto a dry branch, that broke with a crack, as loud as a thunder in this peaceful silence. And while Noya shook at the sudden noise he himself has made, the fox didn’t even flinch. He just slowly looked up after a while. 

And as they locked eyes, the fox jumped on Noya, as a weird mix between a human and a fox. It was clearly Atsumu, but he didn’t resemble a full human anymore. The fact that he didn’t possess a human, but shift into his own human version made a relieved sigh leave the mortal’s lips. 

“So you’re… a fox, Atsumu?” Nishinoya asked when he could breathe from the tight hug of the other, and stepped away with a nod. 

“Well, a fox spirit to be more precise.” 

“That sounds cool! So why did you come to our village?” the smaller one asked as he remembered why he went after the in the first place. Hours upon hours of search, and he almost forgot what all of it was for. Well, half of it was for to ask him that. Even if he knew the reason, he would have went after him. 

“Because of you, of course” Atsumu replied, with the same shit eating grin he always used when he thought he was being flirty and cool. Hint; he wasn’t. At least not in this situation. Not in most of the situations he uses it. He needs a class. 

“That’s not the right time to say that” Noya laughed at his poor attempt. 

“It is the perfect time to say that” the fox replied, closing the distance between themselves with a confident step. As the mortal’s deep brown eyes slowly made their way to face the golden irises of the fox, cornered by two bright red drops, and a fine line of red eyeliner, indicating him being a spirit, someone not entirely belonging to the human world, his breath hitched. 

And when the light of the moon shone upon them, Nishinoya’s face flushed in a slight pinkish colour at the closeness. Or maybe at the surprisingly warm hand of the fox that was now resting on his chin to lift his face, brushing his soft lower lip with his thumb. Or maybe the way his lips curled into another grin - this time not a shit eating, but a genuinely pleased one - which brought out the red spot at the corner of his lips even more. Or the fact that he wrapped all his five tails around the two of them, as if it didn’t just mean something. 

“Will you run away with me, Yuu-kun?”


End file.
